How to get to Colombia by plane, car, coach, train, cruise, ferry or boat. Detail on flight times, airlines, air passes, and departure tax.

There are several ways to get to Colombia, here we help you to choose the best or most appropriate for you. Here we will list the options:

By Air

There are regular international flights into major cities including Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cartagena, Pereira, Cucuta, Armenia and San Andres Island as well as to other smaller cities in the borders with Venezuela, Ecuador, Panamá and Brazil.

Estimated flight times from the principal world capitals to Bogota

  • Buenos Aires: 6 hours 15 minutes
  • Caracas: 2 Hours
  • Lima: 2 hours 55 minutes
  • Ciudad de Panama: 1 hours 40 minutes
  • Quito: 1 hour 26 minutes
  • Mexico D.C: 4 hours 35 minutes
  • Los Angeles: 9 hours 44 minutes
  • Nueva York: 4 hours 35 minutes
  • Miami: 3 hours 40 minutes
  • Madrid: 9 hours 40 minutes
  • Paris: 14 hours 10 minutes
  • Roma: 14 hours 45 minutes

There are daily direct flights to and from the U.S, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

International Airports in Colombia

  • Bogota D.C. (BOG): Aeropuerto Eldorado. Urban perimeter
  • Medellin (MDE): Aeropuerto Jose Maria Cordova, In Rionegro, 45 kilometers from the city.
  • Cali (CL0): Aeropuerto Alfonso Bonilla Aragon, in Palmira, 18 kilometers from the city.
  • Barranquilla (BAQ): Aeropuerto Ernesto Cortissoz, In Soledad, 10 kilometers from the city.
  • Cartagena (CTG): Aeropuerto Rafael Nunez, Urban perimeter

Beware that Medellín is the only Colombian city served by 2 airports: International and long-range domestic flights go to José María Córdova International Airport (IATA: MDE) while regional and some other domestic flights arrive in Olaya Herrera airport (IATA: EOH)

Bogota has two airport terminals: Puente Aereo and El Dorado. Outside the airport, be aware of enterprising men who will help you lift your bags into a taxi or car, and then expect payment. It is best to politely refuse all offers of help unless from a taxi driver you are about to hire.

By car

The via Panamericana (Pan-american highway) connects Colombia to Ecuador in the south, and the northeastern highway connects to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

  • Enter from Venezuela by the San Cristobal-Cúcuta or Maracaibo-Maicao pass.
  • Enter from Ecuador by the Tulcan-Ipiales (Rumichaca) pass. Or through Lago Agrio – Mocoa
  • Important: There are no major roads coming from 3 neighboring countries: Panamá, Brazil and Perú. There are no roads at all from Panamá, and there are tiny roads between Colombia and Perú or Brazil, but they do not lead to major cities or regions.

By boat

Enter from Panama by the Puerto Obaldia-Capurganá pass. From Capurganá, another boat ride takes you to Turbo, where buses take you to Medellín and Montería.

If you enter from Brazil, there are weekly boats from Manaus to Tabatinga/Leticia through the Amazon River. It takes around six days to go from Manaus and just three days to come back (the reason of the difference is the current of the river). There are also weekly motorboats which are more expensive, but cover the route in less than two days. Once in Leticia you have daily domestic flights to several cities, including Bogotá.

From Santa Rosa Peru, across the river from Leticia, you can take a fast (10hr, US$ 75 or 200 PEN) or slow (2-3 days, ~US$20-25, bring a hammock, plate and spoon – food is provided) boat to Iquitos.

By Sea

Cruise ships from the largest com-.i panies in the world arrive in the Caribbean cities of Cartagena, San Andres and Santa Marta. The cruise season runs from October through May. For information on the full program for 2012-2013 you can consult the webpages of the ports of Cartagena, San Andres and Santa Marta.


Tours & Tickets in Colombia


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